Key indicator



Patented Mar. 25, 1947 UNITED STATES if PATENT OFFICE KEY INDICATOR Louis Oberfield, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application June 2, 1945, Serial No. 597,327

3 Claims. 1 This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a key indicator.

More specifically. the present invention proposes the construction of a key apparatus in which the key has co-acting parts operating an indicator for registering in letters on the key whether or not the lock has been left open or locked by the key, so that at any time after removing the key from the lock, the possessor thereof can te l at a glance at the key if he has left open or locked the lock.

Still further it is proposed to provide an apparatus as aforesaid in which a key is adapted for operating a pivot or toggle indicator member forming part of the key.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following des ription and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a key apparatus constructed in accordance with this invention, the lock which it operates also being shown.

Fig, 2 is a perspective view of the key.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the key.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the key with the mechanism casing removed.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the key showing the indicator member when in position against a lock.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig, 5 showing another position of the indicator member.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged section taken on the line T1 of Fig. 6.

The key indicator apparatus, according to this invention, is used on a lock Ill which is conventional, having a key slot H in its face it. This lock may be of many and various types of well known conventional locks. It is one purpose of the present invention to provide an indicator key for use with such looks, so that owners of locks buy keys therefor which will have the indicator apparatus of the present invention,

The key constructed according to this invention is best shown in Fig. 2 and is indicated. generally by the reference numeral it. Like aconventional key it has a handle it and a shank I5. The shank 55 may be ground on a key making machine in the same manner that conventional keys are ground. Thus the owner of a lock, havin a key therefor, can have a new key l3 ground using the old key as a guide. owner of a lock to obtain the benefits of the present invention at relatively low cost by merely having a key made by any key maker who possesses blanks constructed according to this invention.

This enables the Handle I 4, immediately above shank 15, has a slot or recess [5 above which extends a portion ll of the handle. A vertical bore it passes through portion IT. A pin 22 is inserted in bore 18. A casing l9 covers the recess, the casing having a top wall 20 engaging the top face of portion I! and covering bore l8. The casing is held to the handle by a pin 24 which extends: transversely therethrough, and the rear portion of the top wall 20 abuts the handle I t. The side walls of the casin cover the sides of the slot, leaving only the side of the slot in line with the shank l5 open.

A rocker indicator member 25 is provided, having'a head 26 provided with a substantial y convex face 21 for rocking on the face 52 of the lock, and further having a stem or shank 28 provided with an elongated orifice 29. Face 21 is formed of three fiat portions, the middle portion being perpendicular to the length of the member 25 and the two side portions being similarly inclined relative thereto in opposite directions. Shank 23 is disposed in recess l6 and held therein by a depending pin 30 integral with pin 22. The inner end of the shank 28 is provided with a spring retainer knob 3 l. A coil spring 32 is compressed between the rear wall of the recess in the key handle and the knob 3!. As is best: shown in Fig. 6, the casing side walls are provided with inwardly projecting opposed ni-bs 33 for engaging and guiding the sides of the shank 2d.

The particular shape of the shank of the member 25 the nibs 33 and the particular shape of the side walls 36 of the casing it forms :an important part of the present invention. The shank 28 is narrower than the head and the side walls 35 extend further at the top than they do adjacent the member 25, as is clearly shown in Fig. 1. Therefore, when the key is 2.11 the way in the look as shown in Fig. '7, the head 26 of the member 25 is beyond the side walls 35, as is shown in Fig. 6. Also, the shank is in position to be engaged by one or the other of the nibs 33. depending on which way the key is turned. Thus, referring again to Fig. 6, rotation of the key in either direction will cause a nib to press against the shank and tilt or rock the member 25 so that the head 25, which is beyond the side walls 25, is snapped by the toggle action into the position shown in Fig. 5 or into a directly opposite tilted position.

The operation of the device is as follows: The possessor of the key constructed in accordance with this invention and adapted to work in a conventional lock which has no especial adaptation suiting it for use with the key of the present invention but merely has the usual fiat face l2 common to all locks, inserts the key in the slot of the lock and presses it all the way in as is shown in Fig. 7. When doing this, the member 25 leans on the face l2 of the lock, and by moving the key forward toward the face l2, the pin 30 releases the rocker member 25 and simultaneously the nibs 33 of the casing l9 push the sides of the shank 23 of the member 25 to the center in the recess it, thus centralizing the member 25 by placing it in neutral position, as is shown in Fig. 6. This insures that no matter what the setting of the indicator was when-the key was inserted in the lock, the indicator will be cancelled out and neutralized before the key is turned. The movement of the member 25 into the recess is further resisted by the spring 32 pressing against the knob 3|.

The possessor of the key then turns the key to open or close the look. If the key is turned in one direction, the nib 33 on one side will push the rocker member in one direction, and similarly if the key is turned in the other direction, the opposite nib will push the rocker member in the other direction. This turning of the rocker member is effected by a very small rotation of the key, which is actually done just as the key starts to turn the lock, that is when the rocker member has been pushed over the dead center in the recess by the nib 33 in coaction with the compresses spring 32, and when the key is withdrawn, the member 25 is pushed out of the recess in this tilted position. Of course, the rocker member can turn when in the position shown in Fig. 6 as the head 26 is beyond the casing side walls. It will be seen that the pin 3i! abuts one end of the opening 29 when the rocker member is in the position shown in Fig. 6.

The rocker member has opposite side faces 34 and 35 on its head, and one of these faces is marked with an O designating open and the other with an L designating locked. After the key has been withdrawn from the lock, the rocker member stays in its rocked or tilted position as shown in Figsr2 and 5, or in an opposite rocked position, so that the possessor can tell at a glance whether or not the O or the L is in indicating position.

The rocker member is firmly held in its rocked position by the coaction of the spring 32 and the pin 39 in the orifice 29 (see Fig. these parts forming a toggle joint action. Thus, at any time after the key has been removed from the lock, the possessor can look at it to see if he left open or locked the lock.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

l. A key for a conventional lock comprising a handle, a shank integral therewith adapted to be ground to fit said lock, said handle having a recess above and in line with said shank and a portion overlying said recess, a bore in said portion, a rocker member having a head over said shank and an integral stem in said recess provided with an elongated orifice, a pin in said bore extending into said elongated orifice and adapted to abut the rear end thereof and to retain said stem in position, a spring in said recess compresses between the inner wall of said recess and the end of said member, and means for guiding said stem during movement in said recess whereby when said key is inserted in said lock, said member is pushed by the nib in said recess against the compression of said spring and centralized in neutral position by said means, and when said key is turned to operate said lock, said rocker member, by engagement with the adjacent face of said lock, is pushed by the nib in accordance with the direction of rotation of said key to indicate which direction said key was turned and accordingly whether said look was locked or unlocked said rocker member having a convex face for engaging said lock adjacent face.

2. A key for a conventional lock comprising a handle, a shank integral therewith adapted to be ground to fit said lock, said handle having a recess above and in line with said shank and a portion overlying said recess, a bore in said portion, a rocker member having a head over said shank and an integral stem in said recess provided with an elongated orifice, a pin in said bore extending into said elongated orifice and adapted to abut the rear end thereof and to retain said stem in position, a spring in said recess compressed between the inner wall of said recess and the end of said member, and means for guiding said stem during movement in said recess whereby when said key is inserted in said lock, said member is pushed by the nib in said recess against the compression of said sprin and centralized in neutral position by said means, and when said key is turned to operate'said lock, said rocker member by engagement with adjacent face of said lock is pushed by the nib in accordance with the direction of rotation of said 'key to indicate which direction said key was turned and accordingly whether said lock was locked or uhlocked, said guiding means including a casing covering said recess and having nibs projecting from its opposite sides into said recess for coaction with said rocker member stem.

3. A key for a conventional lock comprising a handle, a shank integral therewith adapted to be ground to fit said lock, said handle having a recess above and in line with said shank and a portion overlying said recess a rocker member having a head over said shank and an integral stem in said recess, a spring in said recess compressed between the inner walls of said recess and the end of said member, and means for guiding said stem during movement in said recess whereby when said key is inserted in said lock, said member is pushed by the nib in said recess against the compression of said spring and centralized in neutral position by said means, and When said key is turned to operate said lock, said rocker member, by engagement with the adjacent face of said lock, is pushed by the'nib in accordance with the direction of rotation of said key to indicate which direction said key was turned and accordingly whether-said look was locked or unlocked and said rocker member having a convex face for engaging said lock adjacent said face. 4

LOUIS OBERFIELD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Oberfield Feb. 2, 1932 

